TOMORROW ON OUTQ: GARAGE ROCK!

First off, to longtime readers and frequent visitors, sorry that I haven't been too prolific this month. Aside from the day job at SiriusXM, I've been taking classes at NYU. I have a lot of records and DVDs to review for you guys.  And by the way - as is usually the case - I buy them myself.  I don't write positive reviews because I got something for free - even when I do get it for free.  But these days, I get most of my music from iTunes or Amazon, just like you do.

OK, so tomorrow on The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick on SiriusXM OutQ, I return to a topic that I always love: garage rock!

First off is the new Foo Fighters album, Wasting Light, which was actually recorded in a garage, namely Dave Grohl's garage (which is probably nicer than most people's houses, but still).  I wrote about this last month, and having revisited the album today, I maintain that it is one of their best, and one of the best of the year so far.  I was discussing with someone how Dave Grohl is a guy who everyone loves, but you don't hear about Foo Fighters albums being listed as classics.  This one might be a classic (but I'd argue that the first one - really a Grohl solo project - and the second one, The Colour And The Shape, are excellent).

Another great garage rock band is The New York Dolls.  I wrote about their new album Dancing Backward In High Heels in my last post.  I came late to this band's party, but I would recommend their 1973 self titled debut to anyone. The three albums they've released since reuniting in 2004 are all really good. They couldn't have the impact of that first album, but they are good records. I maintain that the Dolls belong in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Frontman David Johansen was one of my favorite artists of the '00s, both because of the Dolls but also because of his great SiriusXM Radio show (yes I work there).

Also, the new album by The Strokes, which Larry gave me.  For some reason, they are just a band that I absolutely cannot get into. I remember reading all about them in the British magazine Q (I read about them there first, even though they are from New York), lots of hype.  When I heard them, I found them pretty boring. In 2004, I saw them "perform" at Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival.  Maybe part of the problem was that they went on after The New York Dolls (playing NY for the first time in three decades) and before The Stooges.  They were so out of their league. I know people think their first record is a classic, but I just can't get into them. I don't "go negative" on No Expiration, but that is a band I just can't get with. But Larry and I will discuss some songs from their new album, Angles.

Other than that, this week I did the modern day equivalent of going to buy 45"s: picking garage rock songs out on iTunes. I have songs by: Spanking Charlene, a band that got signed to Little Steven's Wicked Cool Records after winning a contest. The Woggles (also on Wicked Cool) are a cool band - their singer, The Mighty Manfred, is a DJ on The Underground Garage. The Breakers from Denmark, have also recorded for Wicked Cool, I dig their new song, "The Jerry Lee Symptoms." Larry lent me some music by The Vaccines, they remind me a bit of The Smiths. And Dum Dum Girls are kind of big on the indie rock scene, and they actually cover The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out," but I also have one of their own songs, "He Gets Me High." People sometimes ask what the appeal of garage rock is: I don't know, I like the idea of a few people getting together with instruments and making short, great songs. I don't care if it isn't sonically innovative: sometimes it can make you feel good to be alive, and sometimes that's more important than anything else.

THE NEW YORK DOLLS - DANCING BACKWARD IN HIGH HEELS

I became a New York Dolls fan fairly late in life. I guess my first exposure to the band was singer David Johansen's solo videos on MTV back in the day: they used to always play his medley of Animals covers. Of course, after that was his era as Buster Poindexter, which in retrospect, was a very clever character (but I don't need to hear "Hot, Hot Hot" anymore).

When I finally learned about the Dolls, I wasn't into it: they reminded me of the hair metal bands that I wasn't into. But I was missing out! And in 2004, I realized it, when a publicist took me onstage to watch the band. They were playing Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival, right before the two other headliners, The Strokes and The Stooges. The Dolls were unbelievable. The minute Johansen walked on stage, he just owned it. After that reunion, they started making records again.

Their latest, Dancing Backward In High Heels, is their third since getting back together. They only did two albums before breaking up, so they've more than doubled their discography! And let's get one thing straight: nothing they do will ever match the power and impact of their self-titled debut from 1973. But even though there are only two original members: Johansen and guitarist Syvian Sylvian, the current band kicks ass live and has made good records.  Dancing Backward is cool: it sort of leans heavily towards their big "wall of sound" and girl group influence, and doesn't have much of the aggressive punk rock sneer. The thing I like about that is, they are being relatively appropriate for their age, while remaining true to their influences (that said, I love the in-your-face sound of some of the songs from their last album, 'Cause I Sez So). I think the album makes more sense if you listen to Johansen's SiriusXM show (yes, I work there, but I listened to his show before I worked there), where he plays everything from Motown to opera to country to girl group songs to soft rock (like Toto and Bread!) to, well, The New York Dolls. Dancing Backward brings more of these influences to the forefront than maybe their previous albums did. "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman," with its strings and female backing singers is something that Johansen probably wanted to do for years. "Funky But Chic" is a great mission statement for the band and Johansen himself, and is one of the only rockers.

I was a bit appalled to find out what the band is doing this summer (and I imagine Morrissey - who coaxed the band out of retirement in the first place to perform at the Meltdown Festival, which he curated - feels the same way).  They are OPENING on the Motley Crue/Poison tour. I guess it's cool of those bands to take the Dolls out: they don't need openers, and at any rate, their audience probably won't "get" the Dolls. It's strange that they are promoting their least rock album on a tour with conservatively rock bands on the bill. But who knows, maybe a few people will get turned on to the Dolls, which would be a great thing. If you are one of those people, start with the 1973 album, but Dancing isn't a bad one either.

MEET THE LEN PRICE 3

This is turning out to be a pretty cool year for new music. I've really been digging the new album by The Len Price 3, Pictures. I talked about them and played some of their songs earlier this week on The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick on SIRIUS XM's OutQ channel.

As I mentioned, they remind me a lot of The Who and The Kinks circa the early '60s.  Short hair, mod suits, scooters.  They also sound like a lot of other garage rock bands of the era, maybe I'd add in The Pretty Things or The Creation.  They also remind me a bit of The Jam, or Green Day's alter egos, Foxboro Hot Tubs. Of couse, The Jam and FHT are totally influenced by the aforementioned bands. These guys should be in the next "Austin Powers" film if there is one.

I don't think I would have ever heard of the band if it weren't for Little Steven's Underground Garage. They used to play the band's music (this is their third album) but this time around, they actually signed the band and Steven exec produced the album. The songs are all tight and memorable, with firm backbeats and excellent backing vocals.  It's not a mellow album, it's a high energy dance party album from swinging London in 1964.  Some people will write it off as "retro" or something like that, but I personally prefer great songs to originality.  I also firmly believe that more songs should have "ba ba ba BA!" backing vocals.  Anyway, this is another cool album that you may not hear about elsewhere, but you should check it out.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: ROCK AND ROLL! (THE STONES, BLACK KEYS, HOLE)

For those of you who are new to No Expiration, every Wednesday morning at 9 am ET I go on the SIRIUS XM channel OutQ. I am a weekly contributor to The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick. Tomorrow I will earn my title (given by Larry) of "rock reporter."

First, I'll be talking about The Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street reissue, which I love. The Stones have never really been too interested in adding bonus tracks to their catalog releases, but I'm glad they did for this one. Actually some of the songs are kind of like collaborations between the Stones of the late '60s/early '70s and today, as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and even Mick Taylor have added some new parts to some of the bonus tracks (which were unfinished and sitting in the vaults for decades). Of course, even without any extra stuff, Exile is a classic album and perfect for the summer.

I recently wrote about how much I like The Black Keys' Brothers. I'm excited to play them for people who aren't familiar with them.

Likewise, I'm excited to play The Len Price 3 for people. They are an awesome garage rock band who I doubt I would be familiar with, were it not for Little Steven's Underground Garage. They remind me of The Who or The Kinks from the early '60s.

Finally, the new Hole album, Nobody's Daughter. I think it is weird that Courtney Love is using the Hole name, since none of the other members used to be in the band. But I guess Hole has always been about her. I don't know if I love the album, but "Skinny Little Bitch" is pretty classic.

Hey, if you're around a computer or radio at 9 am ET, tune in and let me know what you think!